Publication Details

Category Text Publication
Reference Category Journals
DOI 10.1038/s41598-018-27785-4
Licence creative commons licence
Title (Primary) Spatiotemporal disturbance characteristics determine functional stability and collapse risk of simulated microbial ecosystems
Author König, S. ORCID logo ; Worrich, A.; Banitz, T. ORCID logo ; Centler, F.; Harms, H.; Kästner, M.; Miltner, A. ORCID logo ; Wick, L.Y.; Thullner, M.; Frank, K. ORCID logo
Source Titel Scientific Reports
Year 2018
Department OESA; UMB; UBT; iDiv; BOSYS
Volume 8
Page From art. 9488
Language englisch
Supplements https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-018-27785-4#Sec15
Abstract Terrestrial microbial ecosystems are exposed to many types of disturbances varying in their spatial and temporal characteristics. The ability to cope with these disturbances is crucial for maintaining microbial ecosystem functions, especially if disturbances recur regularly. Thus, understanding microbial ecosystem dynamics under recurrent disturbances and identifying drivers of functional stability and thresholds for functional collapse is important. Using a spatially explicit ecological model of bacterial growth, dispersal, and substrate consumption, we simulated spatially heterogeneous recurrent disturbances and investigated the dynamic response of pollutant biodegradation – exemplarily for an important ecosystem function. We found that thresholds for functional collapse are controlled by the combination of disturbance frequency and spatial configuration (spatiotemporal disturbance regime). For rare disturbances, the occurrence of functional collapse is promoted by low spatial disturbance fragmentation. For frequent disturbances, functional collapse is almost inevitable. Moreover, the relevance of bacterial growth and dispersal for functional stability also depends on the spatiotemporal disturbance regime. Under disturbance regimes with moderate severity, microbial properties can strongly affect functional stability and shift the threshold for functional collapse. Similarly, networks facilitating bacterial dispersal can delay functional collapse. Consequently, measures to enhance or sustain bacterial growth/dispersal are promising strategies to prevent functional collapses under moderate disturbance regimes.
Persistent UFZ Identifier https://www.ufz.de/index.php?en=20939&ufzPublicationIdentifier=20490
König, S., Worrich, A., Banitz, T., Centler, F., Harms, H., Kästner, M., Miltner, A., Wick, L.Y., Thullner, M., Frank, K. (2018):
Spatiotemporal disturbance characteristics determine functional stability and collapse risk of simulated microbial ecosystems
Sci. Rep. 8 , art. 9488 10.1038/s41598-018-27785-4